Bring Me a Maverick for Christmas!

by Brenda Harlen

  “And what if I have plans for Tuesday afternoon?” he grumbled. “Not that Annie even considered that possibility.”

  “If you have plans, then I’ll find somebody else to fill in,” she said.

  In fact, that might be preferable, because being in close proximity to Bailey was stirring feelings...desires...that she didn’t want stirred. And while she liked the idea of a boyfriend who might someday turn into a husband, her track record with men was a bunch of false starts and incomplete finishes.

  Well, not really a bunch. Barely even a handful. But the number wasn’t as important as the fact that, at the end of the day, she was alone.

  “Do you have other plans?” she asked.

  “No,” he reluctantly admitted. “But that’s not the point.”

  “If you don’t want to help out, say so,” she told him.

  “I just don’t think I’m the best choice to fill the big guy’s boots,” he said.

  “You managed okay today.”

  “I’m not sure Owen would agree,” he remarked dryly.

  “A bump in the road,” she acknowledged. “But I’m confident you won’t make the same mistake again.”

  “You’re expressing a lot of faith in a guy you don’t even know,” he warned.

  “I’m a pretty good judge of character.”

  Except that wasn’t really true with respect to men. Canines and felines, yes. Even birds and rodents and fish. And while most people would doubt that fish had much character, she’d had a dwarf puffer for four years that had been a true diva in every sense of the word.

  “But if you really don’t want to do it, that’s fine,” she said to him now. “I’m sure I can find someone else to play Santa.”

  And that would probably be a better solution all around, because he was clearly a reluctant Santa and she was reluctant to spend any more time in close proximity to a male who reminded her that she was a woman without a man in her life.

  Most of the time, she was perfectly happy with the status quo. But every now and again, she found herself thinking that it might be nice to share her life with someone who could contribute something other than woofs and meows to a conversation. And then she’d force herself to go out and try to meet new people. And her hopes and expectations would be dashed by reality. Again.

  But Bailey surprised her by not immediately accepting this offer. “Well, I’m not sure that what I want really matters, since Annie will tell Dan that I agreed to do it and then, if I don’t, I’ll have to explain why and how I wriggled my way out of it.”

  “Are you saying that you will do it?” she asked, half hopeful, half wary.

  “I guess I am,” he agreed.

  “Then I guess, unless Dan makes a miraculous recovery, I’ll see you at the school on Tuesday.”

  “Or maybe now,” Bailey said, as Serena moved toward the door. Because for reasons he couldn’t begin to fathom, he was reluctant to watch her walk away. Or maybe he was just hungry.

  She looked at him blankly. “Maybe now what?”

  “Maybe I’ll see you now—which sounded much better in my head than it did aloud,” he acknowledged ruefully. “And which was supposed to be a segue into asking if you wanted to get something to eat.”

  “Oh.” She seemed as uncertain about how to answer the question as he’d been to ask it.

  “I was so nervous about the Santa gig that I didn’t eat lunch before, and now I’m starving.”

  Serena offered him a leftover candy cane.

  “I think I’m going to want something more than that,” he said. “How about you? Are you hungry?”

  “Not really.”

  Her stomach rumbled, calling her out on the fib.

  His lips curved. “You want to reconsider your answer?”

  “Apparently I am hungry,” she acknowledged, one side of her mouth turning up in a half-smile.

  “Do you want to grab a bite at the Gold Rush Diner?”

  She hesitated.

  “It’s a simple yes or no question,” he told her.

  “Like...a date?” she asked cautiously.

  “No.” His knee-jerk response was as vehement as it was immediate.

  Thankfully, Serena laughed, apparently more relieved than insulted by his hasty rejection of the idea.

  “In that case, yes,” she told him.

  Since nothing was too far from anything else in the downtown area of Rust Creek Falls, they decided to leave their vehicles parked at the community center and walk over to the diner. Even on the short walk, the air was brisk with the promise of more snow in the forecast.

  The name of the restaurant was painted on the plate-glass front window of the brick building. When Bailey opened the door for Serena, a cowbell overhead announced their arrival.

  Though the diner did a steady business, the usual lunch crowd had already cleared out and he gestured for her to choose from the row of vacant booths. She slid across a red vinyl bench and he took a seat opposite her.

  After a quick review of the menu, Bailey decided on the steak sub and Serena opted for a house salad.

  “Your stomach was audibly rumbling,” he reminded her. “I don’t think it’s going to be satisfied with salad.”

  “I’m supposed to be going to a dinner and dance at Sawmill Station tonight. The salad will tide me over until then.”

  “The Presents for Patriots fund-raiser,” he guessed. “I’ve been working with Brendan Tanner on that this year.”

  “Dr. Smith bought a table and gave the tickets out to his staff.”

  “Then I’ll see you there.”

  “Unless I decide to stay home with Marvin, Molly and Max.”

  “I know that Marvin’s your dog,” he said. “But Molly and Max?”

  “Cat and bunny,” she admitted.

  “You have a lot of pets,” he noted.

  “Animals are usually better company than people.”

  “Present company excluded?” he suggested dryly.

  Her cheeks flushed. “Maybe it would be more accurate to say that I’m better with animals than with people.”

  “You were great with the kids today,” he assured her.

  “Thanks, but kids are generally accepting and easy to please. Especially kids who are focused on something else—such as seeing Santa Claus.”

  “That reminds me,” he said. “What do you know about this PKT-79 all the kids were asking about?”

  “It’s an upgrade of the 78 that came out in the spring.”

  “The 78 what?”

  “An interactive pocket toy that communicates with other similar toys,” she explained.

  “And where would I find one?” he asked.

  “You won’t,” she told him. “They’re sold out everywhere.”

  “They can’t be sold out everywhere,” he protested, nodding his thanks to the waitress when she set his plate in front of him.

  “It was a headline on my news feed last week—‘Must-Have Toy of the Year Sold Out Everywhere.’”

  He shook salt over his fries as he considered this setback to his plan.

  “Of course, you could always ask Santa for one,” she said, tongue in cheek, as she stabbed her fork into a tomato wedge.

  “Do Santa’s elves have a production line of PKT-79s at the North Pole?”

  “They might,” she allowed. “The only other option is an aftermarket retailer.”

  “Like eBay?” he guessed.

  She nodded. “But you won’t find one reasonably priced,” she warned. “Supply and demand.”

  “I was hoping to get one for Owen,” he confided. “To give him a reason to believe that Christmas doesn’t suck.”

  “And because you feel guilty?” she guessed.

  “Yeah,” he admitted.

  “Well, it’s a really nic
e idea,” she said. “But I promise you, he’ll have a good Christmas even without a PKT-79 under his tree.”

  “How do you know?”

  “Because I know his family, and yes, it’s going to suck that his best friend is leaving town after the holidays, but he’ll be okay.”

  “I guess I’ll have to take your word for it,” Bailey decided. “And since I’m apparently going to do this Santa thing again, I could use some pointers on how to interact with the kids.”

  “Just try to remember what it was like when you were a kid yourself,” she suggested. “Remember the anticipation you felt in those days and weeks leading up to the holiday? All of it finally culminating in the thrill of Christmas morning and the discovery of what Santa left for you under the tree?”

  But he didn’t want to think about the anticipation leading up to Christmas. He didn’t want to think about the holidays at all. Because thinking about the past inevitably brought to mind memories of his parents and all the ways that they’d made the holidays special for their family.

  With seven kids to feed and clothe, Christmases were never extravagant, but there were always gifts under the tree—usually something that was needed, such as new work gloves or thermal underwear, and something that was wanted, such as a board game or favorite movie on DVD.

  He was so lost in these thoughts—of what he was trying not to think about—that he almost forgot he wasn’t alone until Serena reached across the table to touch his hand.

  The contact gave him a jolt, not just because it was unexpected but because it was somehow both gentle and strong—a woman’s touch. And it had been a long time since he’d been touched by a woman.

  He deliberately drew his hand away to reach for his soda, sipped. “Remembering those Christmases only serves to remind me of everything I’ve lost,” he told her. “Not that I expect someone like you to understand.”

  Serena sat back. “What do you mean...someone like me?”

  There was a slight edge to her voice that he might have heard if he hadn’t been so caught up in his own misery. But because he was and he didn’t, he responded without thinking, “Someone who can’t know that happiness and joy can turn to grief and despair in an instant.”

  She reached for her own glass, sipping her soda before she responded. “You should be careful about making assumptions about other people.” Then she meticulously folded her napkin and set it beside her plate. “Thanks for lunch, but I really do need to get home to my pets.”

  And then, before he could figure out what he’d said or done to put her back up, she was gone.

  Chapter Three

  By the time she got home, Serena had decided to skip the Presents for Patriots Dinner, Dance & Silent Auction. Though it was barely four o’clock, she’d had a full day already and had no desire to get dressed up and go out. Or it could be that she was looking for an excuse to stay home and avoid seeing Bailey Stockton again.

  As she climbed the stairs to her apartment above an accountant’s office, the urge to put on a pair of warm fuzzy pajamas and snuggle on the sofa with her pets was strong. And made even stronger when she opened the door and was greeted with so much affection and enthusiasm from Marvin that she couldn’t imagine leaving him again.

  After giving Marvin lots of ear scratches and an enthusiastic belly rub, she made her way to the bedroom—and found Molly curled up in the center of the bed. She sighed, the exasperated sound alerting the calico to her presence. The cat blinked sleepily.

  Serena tried to establish boundaries for her pets—the primary one being that they weren’t allowed on her bed unless and until specifically invited. Marvin mostly respected her rules; Max was usually content in his cardboard castle; but Molly roamed freely over the premises.

  “Off,” she said firmly, gesturing from Molly to the floor.

  The calico slowly uncurled herself, yawning as she stretched out, unashamed to have been caught breaking the rules and unwilling to be hurried.

  Marvin, having followed Serena into the room, finally noticed Molly on the bed and barked. Molly hissed, as if chastising him for being a tattletale. The dog plopped onto his butt beside Serena and looked up at her with adoring eyes.

  “Yes, you’re a good boy,” she told him.

  His tongue fell out of his mouth and he panted happily.

  “And you—” She wagged her finger at Molly, then let her hand drop to her side, acknowledging that there was no point in reprimanding an animal who wasn’t motivated to do anything but whatever she wanted. As much as the attitude frustrated Serena at times, she couldn’t deny that she admired Molly’s spirit.

  The cat, having made her point, nimbly jumped down off the bed and sauntered toward the door. Marvin started to follow, then turned back to Serena again, obviously torn.

  She chuckled softly. “You can go with Molly. I’ll be out as soon as I put my jammies on.”

  But when she opened the closet to put her sweater in the hamper, her gaze was snagged by the dress hanging in front of her.

  The dress she’d planned to wear to the Presents for Patriots Dinner, Dance & Silent Auction tonight had been hanging in her closet for eleven months. She’d bought it on sale early in the new year—an after-holiday bargain that she’d been unable to resist—and she’d been excited for the opportunity to finally wear it. Because as much as she usually preferred the company of her animals over that of people, she also enjoyed getting dressed up every once in a while.

  She lifted a hand to stroke the crushed velvet fabric. It was the color of rich red wine with a scoop neck, long sleeves and short skirt. She sighed, silently acknowledging that if she skipped the dinner and dance tonight, it might be another year—or more—before she had the opportunity to wear the dress.

  Not to mention that Dr. Brooks Smith’s table would already be short two people, as Annie, the clinic receptionist, was at home caring for her sick husband. Which meant that if Serena didn’t show, a third meal would go to waste.

  But while Annie and Dan would miss the event, Dan’s brother would be there—and she wasn’t sure if Bailey’s attendance was a factor in favor of going or staying home.

  * * *

  When Bailey Stockton left Rust Creek Falls thirteen years ago, he’d thought it was forever. His life and family were gone—torn apart by his actions—and he hadn’t imagined he would ever want to return. He’d tried to move on with his own life—first in various parts of Wyoming, then in New Mexico—certain he could find a new path. After a few years, he’d even let himself hope that he might make a new family.

  That hadn’t worked out so well. Though he’d had the best of intentions when he’d exchanged vows with Emily, it turned out that they were just too different—and too stubborn to compromise—which pretty much doomed their marriage from the start.

  And then, last December, he’d heard that his brother Luke had made his way back to Rust Creek Falls, and he’d impulsively decided to head in the same direction. He’d arrived in town just in time to witness their brother Danny exchange vows with his high school sweetheart. At the wedding, Bailey had reconnected with most of his siblings, who had persuaded him to stay—at least for a while.

  Eleven and a half months later, Bailey was still there. He was living in one of the cabins at Sunshine Farm now and filling most of his waking hours with chores around the ranch. Still, every few weeks he felt compelled to remind himself that he was going to head out again, but the truth was, he had nowhere else to go. And while he’d been certain that he wouldn’t ever want to return to the family ranch that held so many memories of the parents they’d lost and the siblings who’d scattered—he’d been wrong about that, too.

  When Bailey, Luke and Dan left town, they’d believed the property would be sold by the bank to pay off the mortgages it secured. They’d been shocked to discover that Rob and Lauren Stockton had insurance that satisfied the debts upon their de
aths—and even more so to discover that their maternal grandfather had kept up with the property taxes over the years. And while they would all have gladly given up the farm to have their parents back, they were now determined to hold on to the land that was their legacy.

  Of course, holding on to the land required a lot of work—and his brothers had started with the barn, because that was the venue where Dan and Annie had promised to love, honor and cherish one another.

  The simple but heartfelt ceremony Bailey had witnessed was very different from the formal church service and elaborate ballroom reception that had marked his own wedding day, but he was confident now that his brother’s marriage was destined for a happier fate.

  On the day Dan and Annie exchanged their vows, though, Bailey had been much less optimistic about their prospects. Still smarting from the failure of his own union, he’d felt compelled to caution another brother when he saw the stars in Luke’s eyes as he’d looked at his date.

  Luke and Eva had gone their separate ways for a short while after that. Bailey didn’t know if his advice had played a part in that temporary breakup, but he was glad that his brother and new sister-in-law had found their way back to one another. Luke and Eva had gotten engaged last New Year’s Eve and married seven months later.

  In addition to being committed to one another, they were committed to using Sunshine Farm to spread happiness to others. In fact, Eva’s childhood friend Amy Wainwright had recently been reunited with her former—and future—husband, Derek Dalton, at the farm, resulting in the property gaining the nickname Lonelyhearts Ranch.

  Bailey couldn’t deny that a lot of people were finding love in Rust Creek Falls, including four of his six siblings. But he had no illusions about happily-ever-after for himself. He’d already been there, done that and bought the T-shirt—then lost the T-shirt in his divorce.

  But he was happy to help out with Presents for Patriots. He would even acknowledge that he enjoyed working with Brendan Tanner—because the retired marine didn’t try to get into his head or want to talk about his feelings, which was more than he could say about his siblings.